"Constellations" notes

Constellations (2015)

A Chamber Opera in two acts inspired by the life of Spanish artist Joan Miró
Music by Efraín Amaya
Libretto by Susana Amundaraín
"My work should be like a poem set to music by a painter." Joan Miró

A man and his family find themselves self-exiled. By luck or intuition.

Characters:

Jo - Lyric-Baritone: a man in his mid 40s, a painter and poet. He's by nature quiet, sensitive, intuitive, pessimistic, and overwhelmed with anxiety and uncertainty. His deepest fears are taking hold of him and he can't seem to find a place of peace and freedom.

Pi - Lyric Mezzo-soprano: Jo's wife, good-natured, strong and resilient. She is the rock of the family, mother of their only child, sensible and pragmatic.

The Bird: this is the painter's muse at night (his wife in disguise).

Tessa - Light Lyric Soprano (the guide): an old benevolent spirit, present in the house. Pi is the only one who can see her, and talk to her.

Dee: the daughter. She may be an occasional silent presence.

Story line
The story takes place at the onset of a great war, during the first half of the 20th century, by the shore, on the northern coasts of France. A small family of three, where the man is a prominent artist, find themselves self-exiled in a little village. Their intention is to become invisible for a while, and observe the direction and magnitude of this coming conflict. The war seems to have its eyes everywhere on the European continent. So does God's Eye. It is a matter of timing and movement, of composition, when one must always be alert not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jo and his wife are living some of the tensest moments of their lives. They can't return to their homeland since it is under the control of a vicious dictator, whom they oppose. They realize a bigger monster is upon them, unpredictable, as they are themselves in foreign territory. The artist closes up into himself, into his space, into his work, in solitude. He is exiled from his family as well. During sleepless nights, plagued by night terrors, he ponders about the future and feels he's falling into a downward spiral. His wife doesn't sleep either. She starts hearing voices in the house, like a radio catching an unexpected wave. Could the house be haunted? Or is the haunting omnipresent in everyone's mind? A presence, an old spirit perhaps, starts talking to her and guides her to help her distraught husband come out of that dark space through his work. She's advised to disguise herself as a fantastic bird at night, and to visit him with messages from this new found guide. He's been hallucinating, so he won't notice the difference, the voice says. Pi succeeds in creating a new different bond with him and he starts painting consistently, inspired by this "bird-muse‘ and the skies. The inner darkness is being lifted, but the surrounding threats get closer. Pushed by an imminent world disaster, they embark again on a new journey to a place closer to their hearts. The end of the world may be near. It would be sensible to be surrounded by your own kin, by familiar sounds that could soothe the horrors of the war.
Act I Scene I (Introduction)
A man and a woman sharing an interior space, but greatly separated by an emotional gap and the climate of global wars, an invisible wall between them. The woman is his wife. The dialogues have become monologues. She calls for help to someone, anyone, God? She feels the need for divine protection, and she asks for guidance. The world is going mad and so is her husband.
Scene II
As Jo displays signs of despair and anxiety bordering on madness, Pi is discovering the presence of invisible but audible tenants. A benevolent old spirit is materializing right in front of her eyes, to her amazement. She calls herself Tessa and introduces herself as a sort of guiding messenger.
Scene III
Jo is obsessed with the world news and his losses. Not only does he feel the loss of his home and friends, there is as well the threat of losing their freedom and rights. And then, "The Reaper"", his big scale masterpiece recently exhibited in Paris, seems to be lost as well, swallowed by the earth; such is the fate of matter amidst the ravages of war. Unable to sleep or eat, he is haunted by surreal visions.
Scene IV
Pi and Tessa are bonding, and Tessa starts suggesting strategies to Pi. She must disguise herself as an exotic bird at night, and visit her husband. He will follow her advice, she says, for all things supernatural have a way of commanding your attention. They develop a plan to help him move out of the dark pit he's fallen into. Pi is not so sure she can succeed in such an elaborate staging, but Tessa assures her she'll be helping. And again, she reasons, how is he going to distinguish between his wild hallucinations and a wild disguise?
Scene V
As Jo's sleepless days and nights start taking a toll, Jo is weary and anxious. Pi and Jo are tense and fighting, a void has formed between them. He wants to retreat to silence, having a feeling of foreboding and restlessness.
Scene VI
Pi realizes that the Bird intervention is of the utmost necessity. At night, the Bird makes her appearance in the studio space and begins a dialog with Jo, a rapport where Tessa's messages and suggestions are exposed. Pi is excited, realizing her rescue plan may work after all. She's happy that she can finally reach out again to him, although the circumstances are still dark and serious. She is aware that there is a perfect storm brewing all around them.

Act II

Scene I
During the day, a few days into the Bird's nocturnal visits, Jo and Pi start having a conversation about the mysterious "voice‘ at night, the new changes, perhaps the new plans to leave again. Jo is entranced with his muse visitor and doesn't want to leave now. "It‘ may be of this house and might not follow him somewhere else. Something extraordinary is happening with his new work and renewed perception of himself as he looks, maybe for the first time, into his place in the Universe. Why leave now? After all, the greatest pressures may produce some of the most beautiful outcomes.
Scene II
Pi realizes that she, as the Bird, will have to set things in motion to prepare their imminent departure to a safer place. With Tessa, once more, they collaborate on a sensible plan to address the pressing circumstances and place the family out of immediate danger. The Bird makes a last farewell appearance and promises to be always by his side, in fact she's been always by his side but he had not noticed; as his daily companion she had become too familiar. Pi feels that it's time to tell the truth and reveal her self. Pi explains to Jo the presence of a genuine spirit guide, which has been a God-sent help since the day she was praying for guidance.
Scene III
Jo is finishing packing his work, his things. He's mainly gathering his thoughts, as he is getting ready to step into a new period of his life. He reminisces about what he's about to leave: his search and ambitions, his self-imposed conceptual interests to mingle with other intellectuals. He's about to find a form that allows him to be free, and to be himself. Tessa makes herself visible to both, and Jo is again entranced by a true otherworldly being. He is comforted that perhaps they are not as alone after all. Pi and Jo, with a little child, manage to escape as bombs are falling in the village by the sea. The feeling of devastation seems to have the effect of thinning down the walls between our world and the others. Pi and Jo leave with a new complicity and a reinforced sense of unity. Together they embark on their next journey, always into the unknown. It is always the case that we only know where we are at the moment, and death is always a few steps away.

"Constellations: A Chamber Opera" - 2015 Durata ca:78:80 Parts Music Rental only
Full score $140.00 / Vocal score $50.00

Constellations Scores

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